Ryder banned for six months

New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder has been suspended for six months for an anti-doping violation.

The 29-year-old, who claims he took a weight-loss supplement which was contaminated or mislabelled, escaped a mandatory two-year ban for failing a drug test because the tribunal said it accepted his argument.

The ban was backdated to April, meaning Ryder will be available to play again in October.